help with identifying powder??

When I bought a 40XBR, it came with 2 pounds of some powder that was "similar to 4198".
About every 5th primer blew.
A switch to IMR 4198, and later to WW748 never produced another blown primer.
My wife's dahlias flourished with this "similar to fertilizer".
 
well this stuff is clearly marked, the containers are in perfect condition and the small containers were in sealed boxes and my buddy has lots of it!
and it was free!
so i will pick up some 55 grain bullets from WSS tomorrow and load using IMR4198 specs start on the low end of the spectrum and see what happens?
and when i say he has lots i mean lots!!
 
I trust Higginsons, and this powder went through years of testing in the hands of many Canadian reloaders. If the powder was stored properly and has not spoiled, I'd use it.

As the container says "use 4198 data", I'd choose a cartridge and load up five with the lightest published load for either IMR4198 or H4198, and five with the "Ammo mart 33" powder. If the 4198 MV's come out faster than the 33 MV's, then the 33 is slower than the 4198 (and you can use a bit more), if slower, then the 33 is faster (and you must use a bit less). I'd do this for every cartridge in which I intend to use it, as powder burn rates are not absolute - they vary a bit with application.

Now you need to try it out and report back.
 
well i hope to test some this coming weekend but i unfortunately dont have a chronograph.
all i can do is start light, work up and look for excessive signs of pressure on the case and primer and of course look for a "hopefully accurate" load.
Dan.
 
roseau river rat said:
well i hope to test some this coming weekend but i unfortunately dont have a chronograph.
all i can do is start light, work up and look for excessive signs of pressure on the case and primer and of course look for a "hopefully accurate" load.
Dan.
Click to expand...

You need a chronograph for this kind of work - looking for "pressure signs" tells you pretty much nothing, certainly not what you need to know about this powder.

You can buy a Chrony for a bit more than $100, plus the cost of a tripod. You just saved a bunch with the free powder.
 
Get a can of 4198. Compare powder kernels with what you have,
Is there a very close family resemblance (not flakes against sticks, mind you) ?
If yes, there's a good chance you actually have a powder of the same family as the H-4198 or IMR-4198, especially if the containers were sealed and looked unused.
Load five with the lowest load on the manual for this type of powder and shoot it. Check your brass and if everything looks OK, then you can start using it on a regular basis.
If in doubt for provenance, freshness ot other things (like rusted containers or acidic odor) sprinkle it on your lawn, it is a very good fertilizer.
PP.
 
Range Report:
well im still alive and my rifle didnt blow up!
started with 19.5 grains and worked up to 20.5 grains.
no signs of excess pressure, blown primers or flat primers etc.
i was using sierra 55 grain boattails.
best accuracy was 20.5 grain loads delivering about one inch at one hundred yards.
not great but not bad.
still cant beat 69 grain sierras over 25 grains of Varget but overall decent acuracy.
i will try other bullet combinations to see if they are better i was using regular primers not magnum may try mags to compare.
Dan.
 
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